PCB cuts pool hours

Published: Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 11:16 PM.

By reducing hours on Saturday by half and cutting out Sunday, it would save about $10,000, a majority of which would come from employee payroll.

“We’re doing something very similar to every municipality around us in reducing hours,” Gisbert said.

City Clerk Holly White said the pool was never intended to make money for the city, but was expected to cover costs using revenue from membership and admission fees.

“I think we’re premature in cutting hours,” said Councilwoman Josie Strange, who voted in favor of keeping the pool’s regular hours. “It’s a quality of life issue. Everything is being taken away from the residents and this is just one more thing.”

Strange, along with many of the residents who addressed the council, suggested a better marketing plan for the pool to draw in more revenue from admissions and memberships.

“I think we need to focus on getting more people in the pool instead of keeping them out,” said Panama City Beach resident Esteban Berenguer.

Resident Tracy Daranowski said she was scared the cuts would lead to the pool closing all winter.

PANAMA CITY BEACH — A reduction in swim time at the Panama City Beach Aquatic Center caused a splash among residents at Thursday night’s council meeting.

The Panama City Beach Council failed to approve a motion by Councilman Rick Russell against a 40 percent reduction in the aquatic center’s hours, which will go into effect this November. The cut will eliminate weekday morning swim hours, Saturday afternoon hours and also close the pool on Sundays during the winter months.

A notice was posted at the aquatic center earlier this month warning swimmers of the change, and Russell said he received many calls and emails from residents upset by the proposed change.

About a dozen residents addressed the council speaking against the reduction, which was proposed after Aquatic Center Director Will Spivey was asked to explore cost-cutting measures for the upcoming fiscal year during the city’s budget process.

The city saw a 1 percent decrease in revenue for the pool during the 2012 fiscal year, and an additional 3 percent drop is expected for the upcoming year. The facility is part of the city’s enterprise fund and is intended to be user-fee driven.

The aquatic center, located at Frank Brown Park, has been in operation since 2006. The city has contributed $500,000 annually to the aquatic center budget and is estimated to have cost the city $2.6 million since its opening.

City Manager Mario Gisbert reported that by reducing weekday hours to 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., it would save the city $21,000. The pool now opens at 6 a.m. during the week. Reducing lifeguards on the morning shift was another cost-cutting option Gisbert mentioned, which would save $12,960.

By reducing hours on Saturday by half and cutting out Sunday, it would save about $10,000, a majority of which would come from employee payroll.

“We’re doing something very similar to every municipality around us in reducing hours,” Gisbert said.

City Clerk Holly White said the pool was never intended to make money for the city, but was expected to cover costs using revenue from membership and admission fees.

“I think we’re premature in cutting hours,” said Councilwoman Josie Strange, who voted in favor of keeping the pool’s regular hours. “It’s a quality of life issue. Everything is being taken away from the residents and this is just one more thing.”

Strange, along with many of the residents who addressed the council, suggested a better marketing plan for the pool to draw in more revenue from admissions and memberships.

“I think we need to focus on getting more people in the pool instead of keeping them out,” said Panama City Beach resident Esteban Berenguer.

Resident Tracy Daranowski said she was scared the cuts would lead to the pool closing all winter.

“I live at the pool — it’s truly my second home,” said Daranowski, who presented the council with a 48-signature petition against the hour reduction.

“It’s been six years and $2.7 million — I don’t want to see the level of service change, but we can’t keep kicking this can down the road,” said Councilman Keith Curry, who favored cutting the pool hours along with Mayor Gayle Oberst and Councilman John Reichard. “We borrowed 3.5 percent from your firefighters and your police department — your basic municipal services — to balance that budget.

“I think we have a pretty good, sound budget because we have been frugal. We’re not targeting the swim team; we’re targeting a facility that has been in the red for a long time.”

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